Chris Hadfield’s fear-conquering speech teaches us the valuable lesson of what happens when you banish negative thoughts and persevere forward.

Hadfield is a retired Canadian astronaut who recalls an important life lesson from his personal experience in space; during one of his missions he went temporarily blind, first in one eye, then in both. Of course, like anyone, his initial response was to panic, but that didn’t happen. He remained calm and was aware that his partner was nearby to help him. He likens this experience to life; if we look at perceived danger compared to actual danger, you can actually change your reaction. By changing his initial reaction, Hadfield got to experience visual sightings that would have otherwise been impossible to appreciate.

Being an astronaut seemed like an impossible dream, which was also hauntingly scary for him, but through changing his primal fear, he was allowed to experience something extraordinary. His adventure allowed him to return home with stories, inspiration and the lesson that self-perception can take you into a new place.